Carlisle v Peterborough preview

Team news for Saturday's League One clash between Carlisle and Peterborough at Brunton Park.

Carlisle will be without on-loan defender Lubo Michalik for the home clash with Peterborough. The Leeds centre-half, who has played in all five of the Cumbrians' matches since arriving on loan at the end of August, has returned to Elland Road to have a hamstring problem assessed. Peter Murphy replaced the Slovakia international in the 4-0 midweek win at Hartlepool and is expected to continue. Cumbrians manager Greg Abbott has no new injury or suspension problems, but is still without skipper Paul Thirlwell due to a knee injury, while fellow midfielder Marc Bridge-Wilkinson is nursing a similar problem. Long-term casualty Danny Livesey (groin) is edging ever closer towards his return to first-team action, but is not yet ready. Carlisle, who suffered their first league defeat of the season at Bournemouth last week, are so far unbeaten at Brunton Park. Peterborough will be without captain Grant McCann for the trip to face the in-form Cumbrians. McCann was sent-off for a late challenge during the ugly 3-2 home defeat to Notts County in midweek and will begin a three-match ban. Manager Gary Johnson has options to replace him in the centre of midfield, however, as Charlie Lee played the second half in midweek and Lee Frecklington played 70 minutes for the reserves this week after recovering from a knee injury. Former Lincoln man Frecklington could feature for the first time this season while Mark Little is in line to start at right-back after recovering from a knee injury of his own. That leaves record signing Ryan Bennett and midfielder James Wesolowski as the only knee injury victims at London Road as Johnson's men look for a return to winning ways.